


your hand in mine

by kitahart



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/F, Holding Hands, unintentional self-harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 18:18:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7694551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitahart/pseuds/kitahart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s an old habit, one she hasn’t fallen back into for a long time. Could be worse, given the ragged state of her nails these days, but Josephine had insisted that she allow someone to file and polish them.</p>
<p><i>What’s the point, </i>she’d argued, <i>when I’m – this?</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	your hand in mine

**Author's Note:**

> self-indulgent handholding fic, because i'm gay.

By the time they arrive at the Winter Palace, Isa’s nails have already bitten half-moon crescents into her palm. She examines the marks critically, turning her hand over to survey the damage done.

It’s an old habit, one she hasn’t fallen back into for a long time. Could be worse, given the ragged state of her nails these days, but Josephine had insisted that she allow someone to file and polish them.

_What’s the point,_ she’d argued, _when I’m – this?_

None of this looks right: the scarred expanse of her hands against the silk in her lap. Her nails, pink and polished where they should be bitten to the quick.

In her left palm, the anchor flares. In her right, Isa stares at the four bruises pressed into her skin, folds her hand into a fist. Breathes through the sharp pain.

Hardly a few moments pass before she feels a soft touch at her wrist.

"Enough," Cassandra says. She sounds – _concerned,_ somehow, her eyes warm as she looks down at Isa.

One by one, she gently peels Isa's fingers apart, inserting her own hand instead. It's not until several minutes later, when Cassandra is rubbing her thumb in soft circles over the back of Isa's hand, that she realizes –

_They're holding hands._

Cassandra raises an eyebrow at the sudden grin that splits across Isa's face, but doesn't ask.

Isa doesn't say anything, doesn’t need to. She just keeps holding on.

**Author's Note:**

> the only reason isa tolerates this is probably because she and cassandra have discussed this beforehand, somehow
> 
> [i talk about dragon age more on tumblr!!](http://punkwixes.tumblr.com)


End file.
